Catalytic wood stoves have been receiving substantial attention because of their increased combustion efficiencies and heating efficiencies. Reference is made, for example, to Powell, "Catalytic Wood Stoves," Popular Science, January 1982, pp 77-79. Examples of such stoves are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,319,556 (Schwartz et al); 4,330,503 (Allaire et al); and 4,345,528 (Allaire et al). The first-mentioned Allaire et al patent discloses a wood burning stove including a catalytic converter in combination with a bypass damper while the latter patent discloses a catalytic converter device, located in the flue of a wood burning stove, which is movable so that the impedance presented to the exhaust may be selectively varied.
A basic disadvantage of wood stoves of the prior art which incorporate catalytic converter or combustor devices either in the stove itself or in the flue thereof is their relative complexity. Such stoves can be relatively difficult, and hence expensive, to manufacture as well as to assemble and disassemble.